


One of the Dreamers

by lostboy_jpg



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Air catcher, Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Band, Anathema, Apocalypse, Bisexual Josh Dun, Control, Depressed Tyler Joseph, Depressing, Drug Use, Drugs, Dysfunctional Family, Dysfunctional Relationships, Dystopia, Flirty Josh, Forbidden Forest, Forests, Future, Future Fic, Future Tense, Gay Josh, Gay Tyler, Government, Government Agencies, Government Conspiracy, Government Experimentation, Human Tyler Joseph, Josh Dun/Tyler Joseph One Shot, Josh Dun/Tyler Joseph Smut, Josh in Love, Loss of Control, Loss of Innocence, Loss of Trust, M/M, Memory Loss, Mind Control, Mind Games, Mindfuck, Mutant Society, No Spoilers, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Other, POV Alternating, POV First Person, POV Male Character, POV Tyler, Partial Mind Control, Past Abuse, Past Drug Use, Past Torture, Past Underage, Points of View, Post-Apocalypse, Pre-Apocalypse, Pre-Band, Pre-Relationship, Psychological Torture, Sad Josh, Sad Tyler Joseph, Shy Tyler, Sleep, Sleepiness, Sleepwalking, Suicidal Tyler Joseph, Torture, Tree Houses, Underage - Freeform, Underage Drinking, Underage Drug Use
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-14
Updated: 2017-03-14
Packaged: 2018-10-05 06:11:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10299362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostboy_jpg/pseuds/lostboy_jpg
Summary: It's the 3000's, the time after the first major apocalypse, and the era to end all eras. It's the uprising of a society where love is outlawed and sleep is forbidden. Tyler Joseph has always felt a disconnect between himself and the rest of the world. That is, until he meets a boy named Josh with a mind much like his own.





	1. Prologue.

**Author's Note:**

> Oh boi guys this is going to be a long emotional rollercoaster so I hope you're all prepared for this. 
> 
> But mostly I just hope you enjoy the story.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat.

Thinkthinkthink.

My name is Tyler Joseph. 

I’m seventeen years old.

I live in Westbrook Falls.

I have a family. They love me.

I am alive.

I exist.

These thoughts ran through Tyler's brain at lightning speed. He repeated them over and over and over again. He sat on the damp forest ground, his head in his hands. His head felt so heavy from thinking too much, so he let it hang between his knees.

He was supposed to repeat these things until he felt like he had a grip on reality again, but that could be a while. Especially this time.

This was the end all be all for Tyler.

He suddenly lifted his head, sitting very still. It was almost as if a switch had been flipped.

He rose to his feet, slipping back into the fog. It was the rainy season, and the forest held a lot of fog lately.

He let out a shaky breath, clouds forming and becoming one with the mist surrounding him. 

He checked over his shoulder, making sure no one was truly following him before heading into the uncharted parts of the forest.


	2. One.

His eyes snapped open. He looked around to see if anybody had been watching him. Nobody was. Nobody paid much attention to Tyler, most of the time. But he knew that there was always someone watching.

He shifted the backpack on his shoulder, approaching the doors to his high school, his head down. If anyone was really paying attention, that alone would separate him from the masses. But they all stood tall, heads straight up, eyes fogged over, fixed on something in the distance. 

Something Tyler had never seen.

Well, maybe that wasn't entirely accurate. He used to be just like them. Head and eyes up. Physically alert but mentally gone. Believe it or not.

But now? Tyler's stomach turned at the thought of being an Awakened, just like the rest of them.

Tyler shuffled his way through the doors and headed for his first hour class. He had Revivalistic History first thing in the morning, which was always a joy.

He took his assigned seat in the middle of the room just as the teacher began his lesson.

“Class, let's review for the test tomorrow on all of the historical dates.” He droned in his monotone voice.

“The Downfall occurred in what year?” He asked.

“2020” the class returned with a unison voice.

“Good. The Revival happened how many years later?” 

“Fifty.” This time Josh responded with them. He had to pay attention half of the time at least.

“And who was responsible for The Revival?” Even the teacher stared blankly into nothingness.

“Our great and mighty government.” This answer seemed like an eerie rallying cry, and it sent shivers down Tyler's spine.

“Class you should be well prepared for tomorrow's test.” It was frowned upon to give compliments, so this was the closest the class would get to being rewarded for their knowledge of useless static.

“Keep in mind,” The teacher continued on, “That without the government and their many great efforts, and the technological advances, we also would not have many of the luxuries and comforts we have come to know.”

Luxuries wasn't exactly what Tyler would call it. Torture, maybe. But not luxury.

“In the days before the Revival, people were not the same. There was unhappiness and discomfort. Pain, lots of pain. People were slaves to their own minds and emotions. People were slaves to sleep.”

There it was. Tyler was listening intently, hoping for once that his teacher might speak something of substance. 

“People would sleep to forget their emotions and the pain of the day. It was a very unhealthy habit. But now thanks to the government, we are fortunate enough to have sleepless injections and sleepless pills. Now, open your books to page eighty four,”

Tyler zoned out again. Of course he didn't give Tyler any of the information he was looking for. The teacher was an Awakened as well.

Tyler let out a small sigh and opened his book to page eighty four.

~~~~

Tyler sat at his usual table in the cafeteria with the usual people. A girl with sandy blonde hair by the name Amelia, and her best friend Joanna. There was also a kid with an almost-moehawk, Kristopher. And then there was Tyler.

He guessed he would consider these people his friends. He didn't talk to anyone else at school much, but he was okay with his little group.

“Ohmygosh I had the scariest experience last night!” Amelia always talked really fast and excitedly, making her words run together.

“Last night I was doing my fitness routine when I almost fell asleep on the elliptical. It was so terrifying!”

Everyone at the table gasped, hanging on to Amelia's every word. She loved having attention, but she loved being the only source of attention so much more.

“Yeah.” She paused to take a bite from her apple, holding the table in suspense. “So of course I was scared to tell my mom about it. She’d think I was like, diseased or something! But I told her anyways and she said she would try to up my sleepless injection dose.”

Everyone at the table collectively let out a breath. Amelia's stories were often anticlimactic in this way. But the story left Tyler was a sinking feeling in his gut.

If almost falling asleep was the worst thing that could happen to a person (and it was), how would they react if they knew Tyler's secret?


End file.
